TUCSON, AZ  – Darrell Midgley and Brandon Carlson kicked off the 2020 race season in the Arizona desert.  Tuscon Speedway was holding their 7th annual Chilly Willy event featuring Super Late Models.  Twenty-six teams took the green flag Sunday afternoon.  The race saw just one caution flag.  “Its quite a testament to the competitors,” says Midgley,  “the caution flag wasn’t even for an accident, it was for a blown motor.”  Midgley started 19th in the Chilly Willy 150.  By lap 25 he had made his way up to 12th in the Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd./Alien Race Cars #81 Dodge.  Midgleys run to the front stalled as the car developed handling problems.  The Sidney, British Columbia driver began losing track position.

“We’ve been fighting it going tight (Friday/Saturday).  We just went too far with the setup (Sunday) and it got loose.”  Midgley took advantage of the lone caution flag at lap 92 and headed to the pits for a quick adjustment.  “Around lap 130 or 140 we were definitely the fastest car on the track.  Our lap times were really good at the end.  We figured it out (the setup) unfortunately it was several laps too late.”  Midgley was credited with an 18th place finish, however there could be an adjustment to the race scoring by track officials.  “They have us being down three laps.”  Midgley was lapped by the race leader on Lap 65.  Midgley did not go down any more laps after that.  “I know we finished better than that (18th).”

Brandon Carlson finished 22nd in the Team NPP #81c Dodge on Sunday.  Carlson completed just 80 of the 150 laps.  Carlson started the Chilly Willy in 18th.  By lap-10 the Victoria, British Columbia driver had made his way up to 12th.  Just three-laps later Carlson was run into by another driver down the front straight.  “The car just sat down on the left front,” explains the Victoria, British Columbia driver, “I though it was a flat tire.”  A simple tire change was not going to rectify things. “The lower control arm sheered in half.” Repairs begin immediately in the pits.  Carlson returned to the track for the final 75 laps.  “I just went as hard as I could and managed to pass a few guys on the bottom.  I just wanted to finish off the weekend as best as I could.”  The race saw plenty of three-wide action.  Preston Peltier from Brighton, Colorado took the checkered flag and is the Chilly Willy 2020 Champion.

** upon review, Tucson Speedway track officials modified the finishing order for Team NPP driver Darrell Midgley. Midgley finished 16th instead of 18th

TUCSON SPEEDWAY
> Sunday, January 26, 2020
1. #48 Preston Peltier – Brighton, Colorado
2. #42 Mark Neff – Tucson, Arizona
3. #21 Kole Razz – Lake Oswego, Oregon
4. #93 Austin Thom – Dundee, Oregon
5. # 9 Ron Norman – Tucson, Arizona
6. #43 Kody Vanderwal – Lasalle, Colorado
7. #22 Paul Banghart – Tucson, Arizona
8. #36 Luke Hall – Ludlow Falls, Ohio
9. #21 Eric Holmes – Bartlett, Tennessee
10.#47 Stephen Blankenship – Tenino, Washington
11.#11 Dustin Ash – Las Vegas, Nevada
12.# 7 Bryce Bezanson – Snohomish, Washington
13.#25 Brandon Farrington – Tucson, Arizona
14.#22 Chris Eggleston – Thorton, Colorado
15.#14 Vanessa Robinson – Las Cruces, New Mexico
16. #81 Darrell Midgley – Sidney, British Columbia
17.# 5 Trent Phillips – Hemingford, Nebraska
18.#34 Rudy Vanderwal – Lasalle, Colorado
19.#23 Curtis Lansing – Tucson, Arizona
20.#36 Jeff Hillock – Cedar Hills, Utah
21.#20 Andy Sole – Queen Creek, Arizona
22.#81c Brandon Carlson – Victoria, British Columbia
23.#42 Darrell Stewart – Arvada, Colorado
24.#20 Brandon Schilling – Tucson, Arizona
25.#09 Clint Habart – Cranbrook, British Columbia
26.# 6 Dane Jorgenson – Sierra Vista, Arizona

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>SATURDAY UPDATE – (January 25 @ 7:26pm)
TUCSON, AZ – Different race conditions for all Super Late Model teams at Tucson Speedway on Saturday.  Instead of running under the lights like they did Friday, drivers competed under the Arizona sun.  The race format was the same as Friday’s. The field was split and two 50-lap Super Late Model Features were run.

Darrell Midgley ran as high as fourth and had the second fastest car on the track in the first of two 50-lap Features Saturday afternoon.  The charge to the front slowed dramatically as the Sidney, BC driver was off the pace with 10 laps to go.  Handling issues with the car once again returned.  Midgley finished 10th.  Despite the late race fall-off, Midgley is extremely optimistic going into Sunday’s Chilly Willy 150.  Preston Peltier from Brighton, Colorado took the checkered flag for his second consecutive preliminary Feature win.

Brandon Carlson ran in the second 50-lap Super Late Model Feature on Saturday.  His time on the track however was short lived.  Carlson slowed to avoid an early race spin in the middle of turn 3 and 4.  Unfortunately Carlson was struck from behind and pushed into the wall.  His Feature ended on Lap 3.  A tow truck was not required.  Carlson drove the damaged Dodge to the pits where repair work began immediately.  The Victoria, BC driver was credited with an 11th place finish.  Mark Neff from Berthoud, Colorado took the checkered flag for the second day in a row.

The 2020 CHILLY WILLY 150 is set for Sunday.  Racing starts just after 2PM.

TEAM NPP DRIVERS
#81 Darrell Midgley
#81c Brandon Carlson

TEAM NPP TUCSON CREW
Rich Carlson
Spencer Carlson
Daryl Crocker
DJ Crocker
Glen Crocker
Jason Frost
Norm Kelly
Gord Rendle

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>FRIDAY UPDATE – (January 24 @ 10:22pm)
TUCSON, AZ – Two 50-lap Super Late Model Features were run Friday night at Tucson Speedway.  Brandon Carlson ran in the first Feature and finished 10th.  Carlson ran as high as 8th Friday night.  The first Super Late Model Feature saw numerous caution flags for single car incidents.  This Feature also saw one red flag for an extensive oil down.  Preston Peltier from Brighton, Colorado took the checkered flag.

Darrell Midgley was in the second Friday night 50-lap Super Late Model Feature.  This race went green-white-checkered.  Midgley led 10-laps.  He also posted the fastest lap time of the second Feature (15.679).  Unfortunately the fast lap times disappeared as the handing of Midgleys suddenly went away.  The car got tight.  Midgley salvaged a 9th place finish with the ill-handling race car.  Mark Neff from Berthoud, Colorado won the second Feature of the night.

TEAM NPP DRIVERS
#81 Darrell Midgley
#81c Brandon Carlson

TEAM NPP TUCSON CREW
Rich Carlson
Spencer Carlson
Daryl Crocker
DJ Crocker
Glen Crocker
Jason Frost
Norm Kelly
Gord Rendle